Harbor Freight

[Fatman]

Hi:

Couldn't sleep so thought I would share.  Just got the new Harbor Freight " Monthly Savings Book" - some neat stuff.  

Page 6:
O-Ring kits $7.99 SAE and/or Metric      

Page 13:
115 pc Drill bit sets M2 $29.99, Titanium Nitride coated $42.99 and best of all Cobalt $99.99 ( less than $1.00 per bit is a super deal ....ok I doubt if they are as accurately made as the super expensive precision stuff but you get all the sizes any tinkerer could wish for and cobalt lasts and lasts - it can also be easily re-sharpened unlike tungsten carbide (green wheels) and the hardness is in the base material and wont wear off like the Titanium Nitride coating.
Not particularly useful in gunsmithing but that Variable Speed Multifuction Power Tool thingy at $49.99 is a good copy of the Fein ($300+) and gets good reviews.  This thing is super handy and has countless uses for your DIY projects (keep her happy).  The blades are reasonable as well.  Fein gets a whopping $39.00 per blade!!!! (OK they probably last longer)  Whoa..... At those prices you could buy a whole new HF tool every time a blade gets dull and throw the old one away!  Would save having to fiddle wth changing the blade. Go figure!

Page 14:
High Speed Steel Titanium Nitride Drill Bits - 10 Pack  If you are a use-it-till-it's-dull-and-throw- it-away kinda guy this is the deal
1/16" through 1/4" form $1.99 to $4.99 for a 10 pack .....not bad!
Also the single speed model of the Variable Speed Multifunction Power Tool thingy $39.99.  You'll probably just keep the thing at full speed anyway and at that price it realy is the same as a single Fein blade! (1.6 amp vs 2.0 amp on the VS though)

Page 15:
10" Compound Miter Saw $69.99.  OK another DIY toy.  Comes with a 60 tooth tungsten carbide blade (heck they're at least $19.95)
and have you checked out the price of Miter Saws at the local DIY store...whoa!

Pate 19:
4"x36" Belt/6" Disc Sander.  Good for projects.  Makes a lot of dust.

That little 5 speed Drill Press is a handy shop item, but I've seen it for less. I got mine for $39.99 and love it, not too powerful but runs like a swiss watch, no noticable runout on the chuck and no play in the spindle (maybe I just got lucky).   I prefer the keyed chuck in a drill press, but with low power and if you aren't using big bits the Keyless Chuck might be OK.  The 2 1/2" Drill Press Vise is a handy thing to have as well (don't expect precision with that one though).  

Have I helped you spend all your money yet?  Heck, there's lots more neat stuff in there as well.  Check it out.

Hot tip:  Good friend says there is usually a 20% off coupon in the Car Mags, you know Car Craft, Hot Rod, etc.  Might be worth the price of the mag just to get the cupon, or better yet, hit on one of your car buddies.      

Mmmmmm....... 20% off of that lathe you've been wanting, the wife will probably kill you and then come after me as well.

I have far far far too much time on my hands

Fatman

[Bogey]

Regarding the drill bits.    I have had very poor results with the ones from Harbor Freight.   Using them on metal was an exercise in frustration.  Would not cut at all.   Even after running them through a Drill Doctor, they dulled so quickly that you could not finish drilling a single hole.    They worked ok in hot butter.

Perhaps I just got a bad batch.    

I dropped  them  into  file 13.  


But thanks for the information  Fatman,  it obviously took you some time  and thought to make this post.

[Fatman]

Hi Bogey:

Thanks for the info. Didn't mean to stear any one wrong.

I've had pretty good luck with HF stuff - not the best but usually ok for home use.

I gave a set of the Cobalt bits (29 pc on sale) to a friend of mine for his birthday. He has a dedicated machine shop, rented building, South Bend lathe, milll, drill press, band saw etc. etc.  He's a bit of an inventor, makes parts for aircraft, boats, cars and the like.   He said that the Cobalt bits are great, which is why I recommended them. Don't think he was just being polite, he usually tells it like it is.

He also got the Harbor Freight Multifunction PowerTool thingy and raves about it. Says it got very good reviews on-line as well.  I havn't seen him that excited about anything since he was dating that georgus Chinese girl.

Another friend who builds houses and has his own construction company uses their12' 80 tooth carbide blades in his Dewalt and is happy with them.  Says they are well balanced and hold up well.  (He's owns one of the real, Fein, Multifunction Power Tool Thingys and says they are just about the most usefull powertool next to the 7 1/4"  saw).

I have a 29pc M2 (whatever that means) set and for my use it seems OK. At $7.99 I,m not out much and it seems to have every size and in between size that I need.  

I mostly tinker and use more brass, aluminum, plastic & wood than steel.  I got the little drill press several years ago and it's holding up fine, again, home use.  

I buy the stuff at the retail store close by.  That way I can look it over and see if it looks serviceable or not.  The QC on a lot of the stuff is non- exhistant so you do have to be careful.  Some of it is just plain junk.

They generally ove-rate the power on their motor driven tools.  Sort of like the FPS claims by pellet gun manufacturers.

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman

[Rontier]

I'm???? fighting it!!
OK I put the sales paper in the car just in an emergency..
Miter saw-$70.00  :)

[Fatman]

Hi Rontier:

My wallet is safe here for a while.  East Coast bilzzard has us all snowed in.  About 30" and no plow in sight.  MD had already blown the budget on snow removal before this one started!

I have far too much time on my hands.

Cheers,
Fatman

[Rontier]

Yup, that's what I hear from Mom!!
I lived in NC, been here in TX for 15 yrs.
She said they were looking to get 6-8" snow,
& allot of people out power!.
the Ice storm's we would have were the worst.